


Tattoos, or They Were Okay

by writer_bird



Category: snonk
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Moran West's A+ Parenting, Tattoos, emix, emix jacket
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:41:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26632294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writer_bird/pseuds/writer_bird
Summary: Sometimes, bad memories can become reality.But Emory is there.
Relationships: Felix West/Emory Hayes
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Tattoos, or They Were Okay

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jerybird](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jerybird/gifts).



Felix tucked their toes under Emory’s knees and watched him watch the movie. Emory was happy. Felix was happy. Everything was  _ good _ .

It was a year since the whole mess at Eagle’s Landing. They hadn’t been back since, or to Easthaven, which Felix knew was a touchy place. Also, everyone there hated both of them, so it wouldn’t have been wise at any rate.

Instead, they were in Charleston. Even farther south than Easthaven, there wasn’t much to worry about there.

Well.

There were still memories.

Felix glanced at Emory’s arm, then their own. Both tattooed. Memories. They let their fingers drift to their chest, touching the knotted scar through their tank top. Tattooed. The almost matching one on their back was tattooed, too. Flowers. Tattoos they’d chosen.

They didn’t think they’d ever forget that day.

The fear they’d felt. Almost losing Emory. Almost dying, themself. That had hurt like  _ hell _ .

But it was okay.

_ They  _ were okay.

And then they weren’t. Because sometimes, memories could become more than just memories. They could come back.

It happened with a knock on the door.

The movie’s credits were rolling. Emory had fallen asleep, his head on his arm and his legs tucked up on the couch.

Who the hell would be knocking?

Maybe it was Asra or Olivine. They were taking a tour of the south, maybe they were stopping by for a visit. On the way to the door, Felix started shrugging into their jacket, the one they shared custody with Emory over. They were halfway into the jacket, one arm in and one out, when they pulled the door open

and

froze.

they couldn’t breathe

it was a punch in the gut

he couldn’t be here.

not here.

not  _ here _ , felix’s space, their space with emory, their safe space, their space where they were both  _ okay _ .

not here

moran smiled

“living in charleston now? you know, it took me a while to find you.”

felix glanced behind them. emory was still sleeping on the couch.

turned out, looking away wasn’t smart. in the instant they did, moran had grabbed their wrist. felix jerked around, startled, discomfort shooting through them, originating at the point of contact. moran just looked. 

“tattoos,” moran observed.

felix couldn’t breathe. they knew what moran was looking at. on their right arm, all down it, were flowers and vines, tracing and covering the scars from clearris’s sword. Flowers and vines, except for once place.

the handprint.

felix had deliberated that tattoo for a long time. but they’d decided, in the end, that  _ fuck him, they were done being afraid _ .

the tattoo covering the handprint were two hands pressed against each other, fingertips just touching, and where they met, fire blossomed.

looking at it, felix remembered. their vow to themself.  _ no more fear _ .

“let go of me,” they said. their eyes on moran’s hand around their wrist. he was touching one of felix’s most recent tattoos, a flower crown bracelet, blue flowers and green leaves.

moran scoffed but he let go of felix’s wrist. his eyes still on the handprint. “why tattoos?”

“why not?” felix was proud of how level their voice was. they were all too aware of the danger, though, and part of them, the part that wasn’t level voice and level stare and  _ don’t let him come in _ was flinching back and cowering.

that part stayed  _ inside _ .

“they’re disgusting,” moran said. “horrible to look at.”

felix knew that he didn’t really believe that. they’d long since learned that moran said things with the intent of hurting, no other reason.

“better than scars,” felix said flatly.

half of them was shouting.  _ what are you doing. why are you antagonizing him. you know how this goes. _

the other part of them was cheering.

moran played dumb. “arm scars? what from?” felix could kill him, except they couldn’t.

what game was he playing?

felix didn’t know what to say. didn’t know what to do. everything felt  _ wrong _ . nervous energy rocked through their body, unsettled, unstable, from  _ moran being here, being on my fucking doorstep _ .

they didn’t know what to say. what to do. this was an  _ invasion _ .

emory, wake up.

emory didn’t wake up.

felix didn’t want to take their eyes away from moran long enough to wake their boyfriend up.

besides, what could emory do? in the time it would take to wake him up… the sword was outside. in the time it would take emory to grab it...

moran was powerful.

they could both be dead in seconds.

moran took a step forward. his hand landed on felix’s shoulder. their entire body went rigid against their every wish to play it cool, look relaxed, laugh it off.

“what do you want?” felix asked. their voice still wasn’t shaking, but it definitely didn’t have the sarcastic edge they were going for.

“to talk,” moran said. “may i come in?”

felix resisted the urge to glance behind them. emory was on the couch. sleeping.

moran had killed before. he could kill again. without blinking.

a chill down felix’s spine and they looked at moran. “why?”

they didn’t know which was safer. refuse to let him come in, and keep him out of the house, and  _ keep him from seeing emory?  _ probably that one.

part of felix knew they weren’t being rational. a  _ too brave bastard _ , emory would have said.

the other part of felix, the larger part, the part that  _ remembered _ , didn’t give a fuck. moran wasn’t coming anywhere near emory.

moran just smiled. “we have some things we need to discuss. your sister, for one of them.”

your sister.

it was the first time moran had used those words to refer to jackie since felix was ten, since the day that jackie became no longer jackie, instead jacqueline, instead someone that felix barely knew.

this was a trap. this had to be a trap. felix didn’t remember it, still didn’t  _ goddamn remember it _ , but crystar had told them about when their memory was wiped. how moran had approached with an offering. a wish to talk. about jackie.

exactly like this.

but felix didn’t know how to get rid of him. they crossed their arms. one arm was still in the jacket, the other was out. there were goosebumps on felix’s arms, but they were fairly certain it wasn’t because of the fall breeze whisking down the street.

“well?” moran asked. there was that slight smile on his face. he was daring felix to say no. daring them to turn down the offer.  _ jackie _ .

emory shifted on the couch in the corner of felix’s vision. just outside of moran’s vision.

_ kill that one _ . they remembered moran looking directly into their eyes, then shifting their gaze to emory, and saying  _ that _ . and  _ smiling _ .

no fucking way was he getting near emory ever again.

felix looked moran directly in the face.  _ don’t be fucking afraid _ . “No,” they said simply. they slammed the door shut in moran’s face.

and moran’s

hand

stopped it

_ fuck _

he filled the doorway. the placid smile was gone from his face. his eyes were burning. literally. sparks flickered around his eyes, and flames licked up around his hands. felix’s hands were numb. they stepped back unconsciously, then again. moran advanced.

“i’m sorry, what did you say to me?”

another step back. moran kept coming. fuck. fuck. fuck.

felix tried to swallow. tried to smirk. but this was different than before. snapping at moran protected no one right now. there was just felix.

and felix was  _ scared _ .

more fire. it flickered and reflected in felix’s eyes and they  _ couldn’t look away fuck fuck fuck _ and how the hell had they thought that they could stop being afraid? it was built into them.

“you know, you’ve always been a nuisance,” moran said. despite the rage, the fire, in his eyes, his voice was calm, and almost polite. it stabbed. “always just been… there. nothing. helpless. you’re helpless now. god, look at you.”

felix was shaking too hard to formulate a response. why did  _ words always fail them these days _ . just like when clearris was taking emory away, and felix was  _ weak and helpless _ .

just like now.

“if you had magic you’d at least be  _ something _ , but even compared to other non-magic users, you’re just so goddamn weak.”

another step.

felix’s back collided with the wall. fuck.

_ they didn’t want any more scars _ .

moran didn’t seem to care.

his hand was wreathed in fire. he paused, for a minute, standing in front of felix, who  _ couldn’t form words fuck fuck fuck _ -

“you know,” he said. “you brought this on yourself.”

“So did you,” Emory said.

Felix turned. So did Moran.

Emory had his sword. He didn’t look tired at all, though he must’ve woken up just minutes ago. He walked forward towards Moran, who was just looking at him consideringly.

“You,” Moran said.

“Me,” Emory said. His voice was quiet and dangerous. He walked up to Moran. Not directly between Moran and Felix. He gave Felix their space. Not Moran, though. He was on a level with him, and Felix, through their mild panic, saw the look that Emory was giving Moran.

A  _ you are shit _ look.

Felix had to force down a shaky laugh. Mostly a relieved one.

“You are leaving this house,” Emory said. Still that quiet voice. “And you’re not coming back.”

Felix saw his knuckles were white on the hilt of his sword.

Moran raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?” His eyes slid past Emory, to Felix. “Are you going to let him fight your battles for you?”

Emory’s hand flashed out and grabbed Moran’s collar, forced his gaze back. “No. You don’t get to do that to them. You don’t even get to fucking look at them.”

Moran looked at Emory. “You don’t know the first thing about this  _ coward _ ,” he spat.

Emory laughed, a dry, humorless laugh. “That’s funny.” He shoved Moran backwards. “Get out.” His voice was cold.

Moran looked at Felix again. “You don’t want to do this,” he said.

Felix clenched their fist around the sleeve of the jacket. They found their voice. “Yes,” they said. “I do.”

Moran scoffed. Looked at Felix. His eyes flickered with blue fire.

One of Felix’s hand was curled around the jacket material, the other held the fire tattoo.

They didn’t look away from Moran.

Moran scoffed again. “Pathetic.” He looked at Emory. “Better hope you’re  _ always  _ here.”

“Don’t worry,” Emory said lightly. “I will be.”

Moran shook his head. Annoyed. Angry. Felix didn’t particularly care.

He left.

The door slammed behind him.

Silence.

Emory turned to Felix. “Are you okay?”

_ No _ .

Felix nodded.

They paused.

They quietly shook their head.

Emory enveloped them in a hug. Against Felix’s ear, he muttered. “Fuck him.”

Felix laughed, a shaky snicker. “No thanks.”

Emory laughed too. “Seriously. He’s not coming here again, or I will straight up skewer him.”

Felix nodded. A minute, then, “Emory.”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

Emory hugged them tighter. “Fe,” he said.

“Mm?”

“Let’s go watch another movie.”

Felix smiled. 

They were okay.

  
  
  
  



End file.
